


The Shadow and a Silhouette

by gossy16



Category: Heroes - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-30
Updated: 2013-03-30
Packaged: 2017-12-07 00:13:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/741843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gossy16/pseuds/gossy16
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written in Summer 2008, in response to prompt: "(Set After season 2's finale) Nathan goes to California to try to patch things up with Claire." We don't get sunsets like that in New York.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Shadow and a Silhouette

Claire is sitting in shock in front of the TV with her mother and brother at each side of her, and she's crying. She's not sure for which reasons exactly. Peter is alive, and Nathan was just shot twice in the chest. The footage keeps getting replayed, over and over and over, while newscasters promise updates that never come.

"Honey, you've just got to pray he's going to make it," says her mother, trying to soothe her.

"I don't get it," Lyle ponders aloud, "aren't these guys able to heal, like you?"

"Only Peter," she sobs.

She wishes her dad would just come home and tell her Nathan will be okay. She'd like to have West ready to fly her there himself. She'd like to hear Zach's voice telling her everything would _obviously_ turn out fine, _c'mon_!

But it's just Mom and Lyle and Mr. Muggles, and Claire knows all too well it's horribly unfair - hates it - how sorely alone she's beginning to feel.

 

*

 

If he had to describe it, he might say it was like waking up from a vivid nightmare and remaining in the same realm. What they'll actually say will involve near-misses or miracles or whatever people are more likely to believe even after Matt's hold on their minds wears off. Nathan's as puzzled as he should be, but he doesn't need to understand it. Somebody's after him. Somehow he's still got life, he's got resolve, and he's got his brother with him. No time to waste overthinking things.

His wife has been calling non-stop, and the big sigh of relief that escapes her when he finally answers tells Nathan everything. The very words she's practically had to beg out of him for so long, until she just couldn't bother. He doesn't want to be that jerk anymore. She puts the kids on the phone and he tells them he'll be home soon, and to take care of each other. There's a lot that remains unsaid between him and Heidi, but not for much longer. She will believe him again.

Claire has been calling, too.

Nathan'll tell Pete he's keeping Matt company on his cigarette break, and by the time they figure it out (Matt doesn't even smoke), he'll already be over New Mexico.

 

*

 

When the doorbell rings, it's Lyle who gets it, and when his voice almost falters as he calls out to her, Claire knows. She runs to the door, and she might laugh if she weren't so shocked, or even had the energy. Her mom has followed, and when Claire rushes to hug Nathan without thinking, all of them are surprised. It's awkward for a minute, until she relaxes her grip and takes a step back to look at him. "You're okay," she breathes, and if it sounds a little damp and raw, no one will mention it tonight.

Before Nathan can say anything, an "Oh, my God" comes tumbling out of Sandra's mouth, followed by questions about how he got here, is he injured, was he careful; and he's in the middle of rolling his eyes at that last one when Claire interrupts with a stern "Mom."

"I'm sorry, it's just... We saw the footage on television and you were--"

"Mom."

"No, I'm sorry for dropping in unannounced," Nathan apologizes. "Circumstances being as they are, I realize it's the last thing you'd expect."

He pauses a beat, and suddenly they all become very aware of the dried blood and twin holes in his shirt. Claire's pretty sure Lyle is staring.

"Can I borrow Claire for a moment?" Nathan asks.

She can see her mother struggle with the right answer, and she understands, but this should be her own decision to make. "It's OK, Mom. I'll be right back. I love you."

 

*

 

So Claire's driving to the beach. She might have preferred the nearest Starbucks, and she could use some caffeine, but it's probably safer Nathan not be seen in public in the state he's in right now. And what was she supposed to do, give him a shirt of her dad's? Yeah, that wouldn't be weird.

The radio is on low, it's all she's found to fill the silence. She keeps her attention firmly on the road, pretending not to sense Nathan looking at her. He hasn't said another word either, and just as Claire's inner monologue praises how calm and collected she has remained thus far, relatively speaking, her vision threatens to fill with tears again. Just two more turns, but she sighs despite herself, Nathan turns off the music, and she knows that's her cue to speak.

"You weren't answering your phone. I didn't know if you were just ignoring me," Claire blinks once. Thank God the ocean's finally in sight.

"I know. I shouldn't have been so aloof," Nathan says.

"I thought you might be dead!" Claire nearly shouts.

"I was. Peter, he - we think it was Peter - he manifested a new ability," Nathan explains. "Revived me, so to speak."

She carefully parks the car, kills the engine, and chances her first straight look at Nathan. "You didn't heal." It comes out flat, not a question at all.

"No."

Claire hates how matter-of-fact he sounds about it.

"Is Peter all right? Where's he been anyway?" And why didn't you tell me he was alive, she must refrain from demanding.

"I only saw him again today," Nathan attempts a smile. "He's had a tough time, but he's gonna be fine."

"Good," Claire nods, "good. I know what that's like, returning from the assumed dead." It's a half-baked attempt at sympathetic humor, but it falls flat.

"You can _remember_ that?" Nathan asks, sounding genuinely stunned.

Claire realizes a bit late that they were on different tracks and hurries to explain, "oh no, I meant last year, I" she hesitates. "I fell on a tree branch, it was pretty severe."

"Oh." A minute passes, or maybe three, then Nathan shakes his head lightly and almost scoffs, "can you believe it any of this?"

And she knows just what he means, feels for the first time that they understand each other. "Barely," she says.

Another silence sets, briefly, that isn't uncomfortable as much as it is new. When they next speak, it's over one another and they won't be sure they've heard or been heard right.

Nathan is saying: "We don't get sunsets like that in New York."

Claire is saying: "Why don't you just tell me why you're here."

 

*

 

Nathan knows he has no place, but pride swells within him at the person she's becoming. It's not unlike that which he feels for Peter; to call them his children would be a stretch, but he loves them as such. He doesn't want to think about how much he's hurt either of them, and God knows he has.

"They told me you died in the fire," he offers, simply because he cannot apologize for it. It may be just the one thing.

"I know."

Claire has this look on her face like she doesn't even see what he's getting at, and Nathan has to swallow around a lump in his throat. "It wasn't right, what's been done to you. To _us_. It'll never be. But your folks, they did right by you."

"Yeah," she smiles.

He finishes, "I'm thankful for that."

"I'm just glad you're alive," Claire echoes, then adds, trying to make it sound like it's no big deal: "You don't know how many times I've thought I lost a father."

Nathan is humbled by the qualifier, by the ordeals she's been through that he has no idea about, and those that he does. When she speaks the word, he knows what it means. He knows what's owed to her.

"Look, I trusted my dad more than anyone. He was probably the greatest influence on my life. But you survived, and if he lied to me about something so important..." Nathan trails off and runs a hand over his face. "There may be other attempts on my life. I'm sick of the lies. We are who we are, and I don't want to hide anymore."

"I saw the speech," Claire's nodding along.

"But I don't heal," he continues. "And I don't want you to forever wonder what I may really think of you."

"What," she interrupts, "so you're not going to fight back at all?"

She sounds nearly indignant, and this endears her to Nathan infinitely. "Oh, you _bet_ we're gonna fight back."

Claire doesn't miss a beat. "You've got to let me help!"

She pulls out the puppy-dog look, too, making it hard to deny her plea, and Nathan has Peter to thank for years of training in that very specific area. "We can talk about that later, but don't get your hopes up."

He marks a pause, albeit not long enough to let Claire push the matter further, and resumes on his course. "I haven't been overly demonstrative, to say the least, and I'm sorry I've been out of reach the past couple of months. I don't want to be that guy. You can call or visit any time."

"OK," she says, cautiously, still a child who's been burned too many times. But she adds, "I'd like that," and grips Nathan's hand, surprising them both. 

Nathan gives it a squeeze back and holds it for the long minute in which his brow won't relax, or his jaw unclench.

Then he grins despite himself, and she laughs, but Nathan has to get going if he doesn't want Peter or Bennet to come find them, which he doesn't. "We good?" He asks.

"Yeah, we're good," Claire confirms. "Do you need a ride somewhere?"

They share a smirk over how obsolete the notion is to them, and as Nathan steps out of the car, so does Claire. They share another hug, but a real one; where he strokes her back in quick motions just because it's getting chilly and he doesn't want her to get cold.


End file.
